Shooting fish is worse than shooting people? According to Naughty Dog, yes. Destructoid offers reviews, previews, trailers, cheats, and more.

Shooting fish is worse than shooting people? According to Naughty Dog, yes


Jim Sterling \\ 05.10.2008	57 comments

Threespeech has an interview up with Naughty Dog's Evan Wells that throws up something as bemusing as it is amusing. Although there are plenty of fish in the sea, there'd be a lot less if Naughty Dog would have had its way. It wanted to allow you to shoot the aquatic gawpers in Uncharted: Drake's Fortune but feared this would cause the game to be rated Mature instead of Teen. It's official -- killing fish is a worse crime than killing people.

You can shoot plenty of human enemies in Uncharted, but the fish are a no-go, as Evan explains:

We had hit reactions and even some death animations for the wildlife in the game but we chose to remove it. It was flagged as a potential issue by the ESRB and it seemed like a small concession to make in order to maintain our “Teen” rating. It may have also affected the rating in Europe.

That's kind of crazy, really. I can only assume that the next Sega Bass Fishing will now get an Adults Only rating for the gratuitous violence depicted toward the fish community. We are training our kids to be fishermen with these violent simulators and I won't stand for it!

BAN THIS SICK FISHING FILTH!

57 COMMENTS, LATEST BY Holyetheline
Yeah. The esrb doesn't take kindly to violence towards animals. - view discussion

There are 57 comments about this post:

Toneman says:
05/10/2008 04:59

How many fish have to die?

MaximusPaynicus says:
05/10/2008 05:10

If only I had some chips and catsup right about now...

CountingConflict says:
05/10/2008 05:35

Aquatic murder simulators....

DO WANT

garrfunkel says:
05/10/2008 05:54

I blame this for all these school shootings

Get it. School. Fish. I crack myself up sometimes.

lucbernard says:
05/10/2008 06:35

fuck there goes my idea of being able to kick pugs in a game...

Alcochetano says:
05/10/2008 06:46

DON'T KILL US GOGGALOR!!!

arcadias says:
05/10/2008 07:08

Further proof that humankind cares more about animal welfare than their fellow man. Killing hundreds of humans is okay, but capping a fish or two is a big no-no. Perhaps you should be able to kill the fish, but if you do then you get a 2 starfish wanted level and PETA begin to chase you around.

Yeah, too much GTA for me...

Pagster says:
05/10/2008 07:13

You can see where they're comming from. The people you kill in game are trying to kill you, thus giving you a good reason to shoot 'erm wheere as the fish, are well? Fish.

Now if it was a giant man eating shark, that'd be another story.

Lord The Night Knight says:
05/10/2008 07:36

[quote]You can see where they're comming from. The people you kill in game are trying to kill you, thus giving you a good reason to shoot 'erm wheere as the fish, are well? Fish.

Now if it was a giant man eating shark, that'd be another story.[/quote]

I have to agree with that. As silly as it sounds, the justification for the violence is taken into account. That's why some cartoons allow some violence as long as the good guys don't attack someone for no reason.

Fading_Star says:
05/10/2008 07:42

It's a sin! Respect the cod!

arcadias says:
05/10/2008 07:50

And yet GTA lets you make the choice to kill innocent civilians who have no agenda. :P

Professor Pew says:
05/10/2008 08:01

So THAT's why COD4 is about killing humans! I seriously lol'd at that picture man, best way to start the day :)

Shakey1245 says:
05/10/2008 08:23

Somebody better go tell Capcom I hear that they're planning to set Resident Evil 5 underwater now.

michiyoyoshiku says:
05/10/2008 08:27

It's official the ESRB has no reguard for Human life and it's a Front for ECO terrorist group PETA

Sueng says:
05/10/2008 08:33

Naughty Dog knows we will be fished out in 40 years. This pleases me!

Projectexodus says:
05/10/2008 09:03

Wow! I feel like a bloody sinner where I sit... I'm a fisherman, and the boat I'm working on contributes in killing approx 400 tons of fish every week.
AAAAAAAAARGH!!! I'M GOING TO HELL!!!

Oh by the way, in WOW you can kill some womans cats.
For some odd reason I felt bad killing the cats, while I was fine killing humans...

Projectexodus says:
05/10/2008 09:03

CountingConflict says:
05/10/2008 09:20

If that fish was really "representin" it would have gold teeth and a wad of hundred dolla bills to slap them ho ass trout with.

Qraze says:
05/10/2008 09:27

weird standards and policies. i want a game called "killing peta:the bong water brigades" you could club seals for fur,skin pandas,strip dolphins of their skin,make a hide from a buffalo,make pork rines from boars, make an bald eagle feather cap and burn down indian casinos. i would play it and i'm sure it would be a blast (remember snake eater, when it when into the cutscene of him eating?favorite is the fish, it was still alive and moving when he ate them, memories) #1_At_The_Club_G!!

Qraze says:
05/10/2008 09:33

ohh, and you could also light the land on fire with napalm.scorch the earth!

Lord The Night Knight says:
05/10/2008 09:39

"And yet GTA lets you make the choice to kill innocent civilians who have no agenda. :P"

Did you see the part that Uncharted is T rated? GTA obviously is not.

Wexx says:
05/10/2008 10:00

Really? That's just silly. Either way, I guess you wouldn't have to waste ammo killing the fish now if you're one of those completionists that has to kill everything

Bizznet says:
05/10/2008 10:11

If I could kill the fish, I would throw grenades in the water.

But honestly, I don't feel bad killing animals, as long as they don't have eyebrows.

LordRegulus says:
05/10/2008 10:19

Actually, I can understand the distinction. The human beings in the game (at least most of them) are trying to kill you. In most situations, when you try to kill someone, you forfeit your right to live. The people you're killing have to die because it's either you or them. Animals, what with their being non-sentient and all, have no choice in the matter and can't really deserve to die that way a human can.

To be honest, I'm totally fine with killing people - the people you shoot at in video games have a tendency to be either enemies, douchebags, or both - but killing animals makes me uneasy, because they have no choice. At least the guy I disemboweled chose to shoot at me.

Cheeburga says:
05/10/2008 10:26

FISH KILLARRRR

MaxVest says:
05/10/2008 10:26

There would have been an issue because shooting animals makes you a sissy. A real hero kills animals with his bare hands, and only uses guns for hunting the most dangerous game.

Jim Sterling says:
05/10/2008 10:32

I'm obviously being mocking in the article, but seriously -- Sega Bass Fishing needs to be AO!

van says:
05/10/2008 10:35

"I want a Deca Sports demo!"

MagicAQ says:
05/10/2008 10:42

Man, Destructoid has a way of being REAL creepy, in always illuminating thoughts or highlighting things that have happened to me recently.

For instance i tried yesteday to shoot a bird in Uncharted wondering if they put any animation to animal death.

And today i read this....

Now lets see if i tell somone that i am the owner of an Awesome gaming Rig with every release under the sun.....

will it be announced on destructoid ?

Genki-JAM says:
05/10/2008 10:51

Why do you think MGS3 was rated M? It's because of all the ANIMAL SLAUGHTER! I was sickened by it and can't possibly understand why the hell that game didn't get an AO rating. The PETA should've been all over that.

arcadias says:
05/10/2008 10:52

@Lord The Night Knight -- Yeah, I thought it was pretty obvious that I was being facetious.

flaming burrito says:
05/10/2008 11:01

It just starts with killing fish... but then the next thing you know, you'll be slaughtering dolphins at 4 in the morning for your next hit. What has this world come to

Lord The Night Knight says:
05/10/2008 11:15

"Yeah, I thought it was pretty obvious that I was being facetious."

Trust me, it's not really obvious, even if something seems too ridiculous to be someone's opinion. Odds are someone actually does think that.

Thats why I try to use ;-) or [/sarcasm], just to make it clear.

Timmeh says:
05/10/2008 11:49

Won't somebody please think of the fish!

manta says:
05/10/2008 11:56

According to the recent "Everybody Votes" poll on my Wii, 52.5% of people would rather "Help Animals" as opposed to the 47.5% who would "Help Humans."

So there you have it. Actual NUMBERS of how people would prefer to save frickin animals over their fellow man.

manta says:
05/10/2008 11:59

animateria says:
05/10/2008 12:32

I can't eat my virtual fish now?

Oh wait I'm 24! :P

I guess its illegal for people under 18 (or whatever age a M rating is) to have virtual fish... Come to think of it. Fishing... Fishing... Only game I fished in was... Animal Cr..

OH GOD! NINTENDO IS TAINTING OUR KIDS WITH ANIMAL CROSSING!

Y0j1mb0 says:
05/10/2008 12:37

Silly fish..

AgentMOO says:
05/10/2008 12:42

Bass Tournament, or KILL FRENZY? Tune in tonight at 10 to find out!

-PL- says:
05/10/2008 13:10

I agree that this is extremely dumb. But in their defense, those animals that you'd be killing wouldn't be an immediate threat (or any threat at all) toward you, and therefore could be considered much more "ruthless" than killing other humans who are actively trying to kill you back.

Dexter345 says:
05/10/2008 13:12

This is kind of bizarre, but I think the explanation that Regulus gives is probably the most valid.

-PL- says:
05/10/2008 13:30

Yeah, I should have read previous posts before posting :(

bluesquareapple says:
05/10/2008 13:48

Easier than shooting people in a barrel..

casualweaponry says:
05/10/2008 13:52

FUCK FISH. A FISH KILLED MY DAD. I SPENT TEN LONG YEARS HUNTING THAT FUCKER DOWN. I HAD SWEET REVENGE COATED IN CORNMEAL WITH A SIDE OF FRENCH FRIES (THAT'S CHIPS FOR YOU FILTHY EUROPEANS) AND A COLD BEER. I WILL FUCKING HATE FISH FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

But seriously, it's a bit silly. How graphic can fish murder be?

Major Mustard says:
05/10/2008 15:17

Does this apply to all animals?

I remember sneaking through a jungle in Far Cry. Paying so much attention to the soldiers, I completely missed the pig sitting next to me. I saw it and shit my pants. I then blew him up. I have never felt so righteous.

arcadias says:
05/10/2008 15:46

@Lord The Night Knight -- Well my GTA comparison was followed by ":P". I don't know about you but that suggests a lack of seriousness to me. Sadly though, you're right. There are most likely some retards out there who would actually believe that comparison.

@manta -- I wish it was just a silly Wii channel that said that. Its a sad fact that the RSPCA (British charity for protecting animals) has more money donated to it than the NSPCC (British charity against child cruelty.)

Vitamin Awesome says:
05/10/2008 15:53

Dethklok's song Murmaider comes to mind.

Paul Soth says:
05/10/2008 16:33

Yeah, I remember the old "thermometer" ratings on Day of the Tentacle pointing out that the game "Rewards the killing of non-threating creatures."

Pagster says:
05/10/2008 16:36

Casualweaponry "WITH A SIDE OF FRENCH FRIES (THAT'S CHIPS FOR YOU FILTHY EUROPEANS)"

Oh, the irony.

Mxyzptlk says:
05/10/2008 16:40

It's coming right for us!

Eschatos says:
05/10/2008 17:43

This is pretty damn stupid.

Jetsetlemming says:
05/10/2008 18:12

For every fish you don't shoot, I'll shoot three.

Samit Sarkar says:
05/10/2008 21:16

What LordRegulus said. But I will definitely admit to trying to shoot the fish and birds in the game.

Cube says:
05/11/2008 05:04

I think fish are more important than 95% of the human population.

in fact I only like %5 of the human population.

come to think of It, I hate 95% of the human population too.

PaperBowser0 says:
05/11/2008 12:12

Obviously, because between my mom dying and my pet fish dying, the fish was just a lot harder on me.........

Itchy says:
05/11/2008 14:12

Oh damn! I knew there was something funny going on when that Toucan escaped me for the umpteenth time! Just sitting on that log, asking to be killed!

Holyetheline says:
05/11/2008 16:38

Yeah. The esrb doesn't take kindly to violence towards animals.

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